


Clever Use of Psychology

by I_llbedammned



Series: The S.H.I.E.L.D. Files [3]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-15
Updated: 2014-04-15
Packaged: 2018-01-19 13:31:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1471612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_llbedammned/pseuds/I_llbedammned
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When you have worked with someone for as long as Clint and Natasha have you get to know their patterns and can communicate without saying a single word.  However to the outside observer such interactions are often puzzling, especially when they keep laughing about it.  Tony sets out to find what those two are always talking about.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Clever Use of Psychology

It has been said that when one has worked with someone long enough that they began to develop a sort of hive mind between them. They act almost in unison. They don't need words to communicate, one just makes eye contact with the other person and suddenly they know exactly what the other was going to say.

Perhaps that's what made Clint and Natasha's relationship so puzzling to the rest of the team. They would sit at team meetings, both of them quiet and alert like two predators waiting to strike. Periodically they would look over at each other and make eye contact. One of the two would nod and they would once again turn their attention to Director Fury, sometimes laughing at a joke only the two of them shared. 

"You two care to share your joke with the class?" Fury asked angrily one day after seeing Clint smirk at the mention of the group of high school girls that grew mutant powers during a major test and created quite a few casualties.

"Nothing to share, chief." Clint responded, sobering up his expression quickly.

"Really? Because you two seem like you are giggling like two school girls at the thought of a tragedy, so either you lost your minds or you're laughing at something. I want to know the joke so we can get back to the mission"

Another bit of eye contact between the two of them. Natasha nodded first. "Sorry, sir. It's just this all seems like something out of an American Soap Opera. Teenage witches coming to life and causing trouble."

"Well if you two could control yourselves, I would like to deal with catching them and stopping their crime spree. That okay with you?" 

They nodded and the meeting went on without incident, though periodically glances that seemed to tell books went back and forth between Clint and Natasha. If S.H.I.E.L.D. had communication lines like they did there would be no danger of anything getting intercepted.

Afterwards Tony went after the two of them, in part to congratulate them on making the vein in Director Fury's head pop out of his forehead in annoyance and partially because he wanted to get them to divulge what they were saying. He overheard them talking to each other and slowed down his pace, pricking his ears.

"Thanks for bailing me out of that one, Nat." Clint said, audibly laughing.

To Tony's surprise he heard the Black Widow laughing in response, "I told you he would react like that."

"I know, but the look on his face was priceless." There was a pause, "Think they bought the story?"

Tony could practically hear the smirk in Natasha's voice, "It's hard to tell. But I know they think there is a story, which is really the only thing we wanted anyway."

"Gotta love that spy psychology used for the right purposes." Clint seconded.

"I'll give this game one more try before Nick catches on."

"You think he'll catch on that quickly?"

"I've worked with the man before. He usually knows when he is getting played, which is what makes victories like this so sweet."

Tony coughed loudly and both of them snapped to attention, like they had just been caught. He opened up with a bit of applause. “I’m impressed. I didn’t think either of you two had a sense of humor.”

Clint smiled, “Guess the jig is up then?”

Tony shook his head, “No. Next time I just want in on the joke. Let it never be said that I stood in the way of a good joke.”

"Alright, but you need to work on your poker face. Can't have you smirking and ruining the whole game." Natasha said.

"Please, I run a mega-corporation. You think I don't know how to lie on command? It's practically a prerequisite in dealing with the press."


End file.
